This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 07/483,635, filed Feb. 23, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,226.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game and method of playing a game wherein players are entertained while being educated about geography, and in particular, to a game which can be used in an automobile to additionally assist in maintaining the alertness of an operator of the automobile when the Safety Alertness Monitoring System disclosed in the above-referenced U.S. patent application is used as a timer for the game.
2. Description of Related Art
A number of games for teaching geography have been disclosed. Some of these games include, as a part of their play, traveling across a geographically significant area according to predetermined paths. Many of these games have as an object, the goal of educating while entertaining the players.
U.S. Pat. No. 613,435 to Wright, Jr. discloses a game apparatus which uses a map of the United States as a playing board. Cities within the map are connected by routes. A player must answer a question upon landing on a city in order to continue on. An inland route and a coast-line route can be played depending on the desired game length. A player's turn length is determined by a mileage ticket, as shown in FIG. 3. The players use game numbers as shown in FIG. 2. A sample question card is shown in FIG. 4.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,359 to Erickson et al discloses an educational game for developing recognition skills regarding map items, such as states. To take his turn, a player selects a card which has a code and a name of a state on it. The code is dialed into a number of switches which connect with a particular electrical path. Then, the player uses an electrode to touch the state on the map which corresponds to the name indicated on the card, which completes the electrical path and lights a light. The card could also have a state's capital on it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,941 to McGuire et al discloses an educational device for learning geographical names and locations wherein a cartridge with a state's information is inserted into a slot which completes an electrical circuit and lights a lamp 31 which is within the state. The lamp can be located at the state's capital as well. The cartridge interacts with the slot through a connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,902 to Jones discloses a geographical game including means for checking correct plays wherein each player has pegs which are inserted into a hole in a map. To determine a correct answer, the reverse side of the map has a number under each hole which is compared to the number on the peg.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,268,433 to Smith discloses an amusement game wherein a map with a plurality of different routes is shown. A number of games are disclosed including a capital city game wherein players try to guess the name of a state's capital.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,551,895 to Magar discloses an educational game wherein various geographical information about the U.S., including state names and locations, state capitals and industries of the state, is learned. The object of the game is to move across the country while passing through a maximum number of cities.
Additional patents of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,961,582 to Van Lysel; 4,937,181 to Rogers; 4,966,372 Robison; and 4,949,975 to Carrier.
A continuing need for educational/entertainment games exists. Providing levels of competition assists in increasing the entertainment value of a game, particularly for older age groups, and provides further motivation to learn the material being taught. Games which require strategy also can provide more entertainment to the players.
Additionally, the provision of a game which can be played by passengers (e.g., children) in an automobile assists in pacifying these children, particularly during long trips, and in general, increases their level of enjoyment of the trip. Further, a game which requires interaction of the automobile operator can assist in maintaining a desired level of alertness in the operator because the passengers who are playing the game will be able to quickly detect a decreasing level of alertness in the operator.